Buyers Guide: Nokia N8 Cases, Covers and Screen Protectors

The Nokia N8 has finally been released by Nokia, and although we’re still waiting for the handset to become available in the UK, Nokia N8 Accessories are already available.

The most popular accessories for touch screen smart phones are cases, covers and screen protectors, so I thought I’d take a quick look through our range of accessories and highlight a couple of my favourite Nokia N8 Cases, Nokia N8 Covers and Nokia N8 Screen Protectors.

Nokia N8 Cases

There are already quite a few N8 cases to choose from. They range from the simple silicone cases right through to designer leather cases. When I was going through all the cases to find some to include in this post I was looking for cases that were simple, didn’t interfere with the usability of the phone and that were quick and easy to remove as well as keeping the N8 safe and secure.

The two cases that stood out to me were the Nokia CP-503 Carry Case and the Noreve N8 Leather Case, but both for very different reasons.

The Nokia CP-503 is more of a casual case. It’s the kind of carry pouch you’d want when you’re off out with friends and want to keep your phone free from scratches while it’s in the back pocket of your jeans or in your bag. It comes in a few colours and is made from a soft flexible fabric that can easily be stuffed back into your pocket when it’s not needed.

Pouches have never been the easiest case to get your phone out of, but the CP-503 has a fabric pull tab that really improves things.  To get your N8 out of the case, just pull on the tab and your phone gently rises out of the case, although you’ll probably end up just pushing your phone up from the bottom of the case.

One thing that stands out as a little unusual is the small slit in the front of the case. Presumably Nokia have included this so you can see when your phone is ringing, but it’s such a small hole I can’t see it being much use.

The Noreve Tradition A Leather Case for Nokia N8 is worlds apart from the CP-503. It’s a high quality leather flip case that’s more formal than social, but looks stunning. Of all the leather cases we sell, Noreve are my personal favourite. The leather and fabrics used are excellent, as is the overall build quality, but what I like about them is that they hold your phone without the need for it to be in a stitched leather pocket that restricts access to the screen and buttons on the phone.

The Noreve case hold the N8 using a wrap around clip system. It grips the phone securely at the sides, without covering any of the buttons or ports. On the back, the fold over front flip folds right back to expose all of the camera and flash. You can see what I mean on the product page. This is great, as most cases just have small cut outs for the lens and flash which often don’t line up as they should and can compromise your photos.

Nokia N8 Covers

The difference between a cover and a case is pretty minimal, but to me a case is a fabric enclosure for your phone, where as a cover is a hard plastic or film that ‘covers’ the phone. These style of covers have been around for a while, but since the iPhone made an appearance, this style of case is now by far the most popular.

The two that stood out to me here are the InvisibleSHIELD N8 Full Body Protector and the ToughGuard N8 Shell. I’ve been a fan of InvisibleShield for a couple of years now as they’re one of the best ways to keep your phone looking like new – especially if you don’t want the extra bulk that you’d get by having your N8 in a case. Installation can be a little on the fiddly side, but as long as you don’t rush it you’ll be fine. They cover pretty much all of the phone, including the screen, back cover, sides and top edges. There are a few areas that aren’t covered, but these tend to be the parts that are unlikely to get damaged anyway.

InvisibleShield protectors give your N8 a non slip feel which makes it easier to hold and less likely to slip out of your hands while you’re using it. They don’t interfere with the sensitivity of the capacitive touch screen either.

The other cover that stood out is the ToughGuard Shell For Nokia N8. These are tough, polycarbonate covers that completely encase your N8, leaving only the screen, menu button and camera surround exposed. They look and feel a bit like crystal cases, but they’re much more robust.

If you’ve had a crystal case in the past, chances are it shattered the first time you dropped your phone. The fact that the case broke is good – it means that it did it’s job and took the impact instead of your phone, but it’s still frustrating having to replace the case every time you drop your phone.

ToughGuard Shells are very different. They still absorb the impact, but they don’t shatter. They come in two parts that snap together securely with almost no chance of them falling off or separating from your phone on impact.

Nokia N8 Screen Protector

The most important part of the N8 is the screen. Crack it, scratch it or break it and you can’t use your phone. Screen protectors won’t stop the screen from cracking (you’ll need a case or cover to help with that), but they will stop you from scuffing it and scratching it while it’s in your bag or pocket.

There are two types of screen protector, one is a thin plastic sheet that ‘clings’ to the screen of your phone, such as the Martin Fields Screen Protector, the other is from InvisibleShield and is the same plastic film used in their full body protectors. Both provide the same levels of protection. The only really noticeable difference is the feel of them and how they attach to your phone.

Martin Fields are really thin plastic sheets that are precision cut to size and use static to keep the screen protector in place. They’re crystal clear, they don’t distort the display in any way and they don’t interfere with the touch interface either. The only slight downside to these is that the edges can occasionally catch on your pocket and lift up. It’s not really a problem as the screen protector is designed to be removed, washed and refitted as and when needed.

The InvisibleSHIELD Screen Protector is essentially the same as the full body protector I mentioned above, but it only includes enough of the film to cover the screen of the N8. Like the Martin Fields, the film has been precision cut to size and doesn’t interfere with the usability of the screen. The main difference is how it attaches to the glass. The InvisibleShield screen protector uses a mild adhesive solution that, once dry, provides a very secure fit. There’s no chance of the cover coming off accidentally, but if you want to remove it you can do so just by peeling it off. It leaves no messy residue on your phone, but unlike the Martin Fields, it can’t be reused.

These are just my favourite 2 Nokia N8 Cases, Nokia N8 Covers and Nokia N8 Screen Protectors for the Nokia N8. There are loads more over on the main site, so if these aren’t quite what you’re looking for, head over to the N8 Accessories pages on the Mobile Fun site.